Southern Nazarene Game Notes
East Central Game Notes
GAC Game Notes


BETHANY, Okla. — It was not quite the warm welcome Southern Nazarene may have expected in its first year away from the NAIA. Southern Nazarene had to face none other than the preseason favorite to win the Great American Conference in Henderson State and was on the wrong side of a 63-21 beating.
 
The Crimson Storm hit the road again in week two as they travel to Ada, Okla., to take on East Central. The Tigers and Storm are both looking for their first win of the season after ECU got thumped in a 33-3 loss to No. 3 Northwest Missouri State. The Tigers were only out gained by 26 yards in total offense, but gave up 67 yards in penalties and had a pick returned back to the house.
 
RECAPPING THE WEEK
Southern Nazarene got its first taste of what it might be like playing in the Great American Conference. The Storm produced no drive longer than 34 yards in the first half, but got things going late in the fourth quarter with three touchdowns. SNU scored on its final two drives of 37 and 81 yards to put 21 points on the board. The first touchdown was scored on a Stan West interception returned 35 yards. The Storm got a break with a fumble recovery and Dylan Terry hit Ryan Mischler with a 37-yard pass on the first play of the drive to make it 63-14 before Terry capped a 10-play, 81-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Sedrick Johnson
 
Terry finished with 177 yards passing with two touchdowns. He completed 27 of his 47 attempts and threw just one interception. Johnson was the favorite target as he hit the Iowa State transfer six times for a total of 45 yards. Alex Reed had five receptions for 41 yards. Derick Perkins was the leading rusher at 61 yards.
 
On the defensive side, Matt Pruitt and Blake Cavill led the way with both recording double-digit tackles. Pruitt had a game-high 11 and stripped the ball away from an HSU player and ran it back 30 yards. Cavill had 10 tackles, one for a loss of five yards, and a half sack for a loss of three yards.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Derick Perkins needs 212 yards to become just the third rusher in school history to break the 2,000 career rushing yards mark. He currently stands third all-time in school history with 1,788 yards. He is also third all-time in rushing touchdowns with 19. He needs just four more rushing touchdowns to tie Branden Smith (2006-09) with 23. Perkins also needs just two more points to move into third all-time in school history in total points scored. He currently has 160 behind Ryan Brock (2007-09) who has 162. Teammate Jarod Martin has 168 and is second all-time
 
Martin needs 161 more receiving yards reach 2,000 for the career. He would be the first receiver in school history to do so as he is the all-time receiving yards leader in school history as a junior. He also needs just two more touchdown receptions to be the first in school history to reach 30.
 
Matt Pruitt is just two interceptions away from tying the school's all-time record of 15. The junior currently stands third all-time with 13 picks. Heath Emmert is second all-time with 14 and D'Antae is the all-time leader with 15. Pruitt is also 24 tackles away form becoming the seventh player in school history to reach 200 in a career. he currently stands eighth all-time with 176. Dillon Brumbaugh is just one behind.
 
THE LAST TIME
These two teams have played just one time, but it was one to remember. East Central just got out of Bethany, Okla., by the hairs on their hide. Southern Nazarene raced out to a 24-0 leads at the half. SNU had 236 yards of total offense and held ECU to just 103. The Tigers though turned the table thought in the second half, by shutting out SNU in the second half and match SNU's 24 points.
 
ECU had 327 yards of total offense in the second half and tied it at 24 to force overtime. In the first overtime period, SNU's Tanner Roberson hit Jacob Smith on the second play for a 25-yard touchdown strike. ECU blocked the kick to make it 30-24. The Tigers scored on their fourth play with an 11-yard pass, but also missed a PAT that would have won the game. The Tigers took a 37-30 lead in the second overtime with a 22-yard pass from Marcus Johnson to Keewan King and ended the game when SNU fumbled on the fourth play of its drive.
 
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Three Tigers have received USA Football News Preseason All-American recognition. Outside linebacker Jason Catchings was recently named to the USA Football News Second Team while strong safety Norris Wrenn was selected for the Third Team. Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, Catchings, Wrenn and punter Brian Gonzalez were also tabbed for the Beyond Sports Network Preseason All-American list. Catchings was voted to the First Team, Wrenn to the Second Team and Gonzalez as an honorable mention. Not only has Jason Catchings earned preseason recognition, but nabbed several postseason awards in 2011. He was selected as GAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-GAC First Team and Daktronics, Inc. Second Team All-Region. Catchings was second on the ECU squad in total tackles (71) and registered 13 tackles for loss, including 6.5 quarterback sacks. Last week, Catchings had two tackles (one solo) with a fumble recovery and pass breakup in the loss at Northwest Missouri State.
 
Tim McCarty is in his fourth season of his second stint as head coach of ECU. McCarty guided the Tigers an 8-3 record and 6-2 GAC mark in 2011.